All on Your Own

Hosea 6:7 “But like men they transgressed the covenant; There they dealt treacherously with Me.

Last Sunday, Pastor Obie continued our church’s sermon series on the book of Hosea saying that co0mmon thought is merely having a same point as others. It may not be the “right” way or the “safest” way, but it is “my way” or “our way”. How many times do we feel that we do not need instructions, directions or guidance in doing something? The negative effect can be that we end up in a worse place than where you started. 

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?

In the Old Testament, the people of God made a covenant with God and only by the Will and Hand of God did they accomplish greatness. But, over time, they turned away from God and towards themselves. Israel’s decline led the forgetting of what God had done for them and to spiritual betrayal. God compares sin to spiritual adultery. But, the love of other gods still happens today in unfaithfulness to our heavenly Father, Creator God when we commit ourselves to our own interests, pleasures, possessions, position, money and addictions that take our eyes off the Lord and makes us prostitutes to those idols in our life. But, though we dishonor and ignore Him, God loves us despite us.

Hosea 7:10 “Their arrogance testifies against them, yet they don’t return to the Lord their God or even try to find Him.” 

Pastor Obie explained three pitfalls of a prostituted people. (1) Their pride blinds their spiritual perspective. How easily we deceive ourselves with our own abilities and accomplishments that make us blind to the things of God and His Divine hands in life and creation. All on my own. (2) They place their trust in powers other than God’s power. We put our trust on self, others and other things than Father God. We find strengths in our alliances and our armies, in our physical and intellectual strength, in our achievements; but, not in God’s. Who do we turn to when troubles appear? Do we turn inwardly, outwardly or upwardly? 

Hosea 10:13 “But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors.”

(3) They prioritize their pleasure and preferences over God’s. The desires of the sinful flesh for pleasure leads to turning away from God’s commandments, statues and laws, which are designed (a) to protect us, (b) to provide for us.  No Rules equates to pure chaos in life, not freedom, but bondage. God’s Way is the only way to true happiness. Spiritual adultery does not get us where we really want to be. Are we living in such a way that our life is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord?  

Ephesians 2:5-6 “Even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.”

Pastor Obie reminds us that God’s grace is greater than all our pitfalls. Hosea 11:9 

Father God teaches us (His children) how to walk in the ways of the kingdom of Heaven. He wants to see the best for us, which is when we are in the center of His love. God wants a richer relationship with us, rather than empty religion. Not just knowing of Him, good at following rules, but bad at following God, so failed even though we believed that we succeeded. God says, “I do not condemn you.” Acceptance comes before change. Like the prodigal son, we were all dead, but now alive; was lost, but now are found. Through Jesus Christ, we have come home to the Father. He is with us and we personally know Him both intellectually and relationally. This is true love.

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

Jesus Christ died for us on the cross for the atonement of our sin, while we were still sinners. We cannot make it on our own. Let His power change you.

In Christ, Brian